Follow the Money to See the Truth about HSUS

Lora Berg

Fri, 2013-02-01 14:58

In a recent article in the Worthington, MN, Daily Globe, a Minnesota pork producer brings attention to a frustrating scenario. Brad Freking, DVM, owner of New Fashion Pork, Jackson, MN, says he is fed up with stories about how the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) fills their coffers with funds sent by well-meaning pet lovers. He notes that less than 1% of the HSUS budget actually goes to support animal shelters. Watchdog groups such as Humane Watch have obtained HSUS tax documents to find out where the money really goes. Humane Watch notes that most of the HSUS money goes toward paying attorneys and lobbyists while furthering a vegan agenda.

In a recent article in the Worthington, MN, Daily Globe, a Minnesota pork producer brings attention to a frustrating scenario. Brad Freking, DVM, owner of New Fashion Pork, Jackson, MN, says he is fed up with stories about how the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) fills their coffers with funds sent by well-meaning pet lovers. He notes that less than 1% of the HSUS budget actually goes to support animal shelters. Watchdog groups such as Humane Watch have obtained HSUS tax documents to find out where the money really goes. Humane Watch notes that most of the HSUS money goes toward paying attorneys and lobbyists while furthering a vegan agenda.

And yet, that vegan agenda is just about the last thing the HSUS donors had in mind. Humane Watch reports that when 1,010 HSUS donors were surveyed, just 1% listed “farm animal protection” as the reason they donated to the group. Shockingly, 90% of the donors were unaware that HSUS gives just 1% of its budget to local pet shelters. When Humane Watch obtained IRS Form 990, a publicly available tax return that nonprofit organizations have to file with the federal government, the group discovered that HSUS only granted about.25% (one quarter of one percent) of its budget to pet shelters in 2011. Humane Watch released a report to the media showing, state by state, how little HSUS gives to supporting local animal shelters. The graphic has been making the rounds on social media sites in recent weeks.

Freking, the fired- up pork producer, has made it his goal to let the public know that HSUS is deceiving well-meaning donors. Before pulling out their checkbooks, he urges potential donors to visit www.CharityWatch.org, an organization that rates nonprofit groups based on how they spend the donations that are given to them. He points out that Charity Watch has given HSUS a “D” rating.

Freking would like other livestock producers to join the stand against HSUS. Learn more about the HSUS budget by visiting www.humanewatch.org. Were you aware of these figures? Will you share it with your neighbors? Share your thoughts in the comment section with this article, or email lora.berg@penton.com to let us know what’s on your mind.